I'm Not Who You Think I Am
by Vegeta-Saiyajin-no-Ouji
Summary: People aren't always what they appear to be. Vegeta should know - He's a goth, and everyone seems to hate him. But he's not that bad. B/V one shot high school fic.


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I'm Not Who You Think I Am

Looks can be decieving……

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~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

New school, new people. It never changes. The constant moving around can really get to a guy you know? My parents died in a car crash years ago. I live with my foster parents now. They love me like their own son. They take care of me, they protect me, they understand me. I just wish other people would too.

You see, I am what you would call a goth. I dress in black, and I always seem to be in a sad mood. So basically no-one ever wants anything to do with me. I'm a loner. I sometimes have an attitude problem, but that's not my fault. I think it's all a result of my parents being taken away so suddenly. I never even got a chance to accept the fact they were gone, or tell them that I cared about them. 

My foster parents accept me for who I am. They don't care that I'm like this. If I'm happy, they're happy. If I choose to be like this, then they'll make no attempt to change it. It's my life, I can do what I want. They even let me paint my room black, and they put up with the music that I like to listen to. I think I've even got my "mother" to like listening to R & B tracks, so that's okay. 

Anyway, I'm a goth, no-one likes me, everyone hates me. I like to be alone most of the time. But sometimes I do wish I had at least one friend who I could talk to. But everyone stays away from me; they must think I have some kind of contagious disease. I've learnt my lesson though: If they make no move to talk to you, then don't talk to them. I found that out the hard way. 

I tried talking to some people in my old school. They automatically assumed I was trying to hit on them, or "be creepy" as they so affectionately put it. So they got their footballer boyfriends to jump me on the way home. A whole gang of them onto me. Mum wouldn't let me out of the house until all the bruises cleared up and I could see properly. And to think all of it started only because I was asking directions to a classroom.

These incidents are what got me into learning martial arts. I am now a 6th dan black belt in NRG Karate, and I am an expert in the use of a sword, and other martial arts weapons. I really enjoy my kendo lessons, they help me to relieve my anger. But I recently had to change that school too; I kept beating up the teacher. I gave him 3 concussions. So he sent me off to a more advanced school. 

I probably should get up from bed now. Mum's yelling at me to get my butt downstairs and have some breakfast. I wonder what I'll wear today. Oh yes, that's right. Black. It's what my whole wardrobe consists of. Easy choice huh? I do have some other things, like white button-up t-shirts, but not many. It's cold, so I think I'll be wearing my favourite leather jacket. What colour you ask? Why black of course. Who'd have guessed? 

Five minutes later and I have everything on: tight black muscle shirt, black cotton trousers with matching belt, black combat coots, and my black ankle-length leather jacket. I also have my trusty eyebrow and tounge rings. Oh, can't forget my black fingerless leather gloves. I grabbed my laptop from the desk, and shoved it into it's case, along with some pens and a couple of notebooks in another compartment. I grabbed my electric guitar and slung it over my shoulder so it rested on my back. If you want to know the colour of these things, then I'm sure you can guess.

I sat on the stairway banister and slid all the way down. Mum hates it when I do that. Hear that? She's yelling at me again. But by now I know she's used to it, it's just a habit that she has. I meet my father in the kitchen and he hands me a plate full of hot food. It's funny that; it's usually the women who cook, but my dad insists on doing it. And frankly, I'm glad he does. He's a great cook; but mum can even burn water. She's hopeless in the kitchen. Well, except in one area: she's great at cleaning up after us. I grinned at her before bolting out the door to go to school. I can hear her yelling again for me to get back and help clean up. I never listen to her, but she knows I care, even if I don't always show it.

I got my motorbike helmet and put it on. I sat on my bike and started it up. I love this bike. It's a custom BMW job. It's like a cross between a dirt bike and a road bike. It purrs like a kitten. The tail is raised up in two fancy arches, kind of like the Sydney Opera House, except closer together. It looks more like a dirt bike, but has some road bike qualities as well, which means I can ride it on the road or on a track. 

I listened to the engine as I do every other time, and careful to check for no oncoming traffic, I rode out into the private street. It's basically owned by all the people who live on it. I forgot to mention before that my foster parents are filthy rich, so having them as parents does have it's benefits. The best thing is that they let me keep my last name. Ouji. My name is Vegeta Ouji.

Ouji means 'prince' in Japanese. Kinda suits me when I have my stubborn, egotistical moments. My biological father said that I acted like a real prince, they always spoiled me, even though we didn't have a lot of money. 

Eventually I arrived at my new school. It was a lot bigger than my last. I looked to the looming sign near the entrance: _Blue Star College & School of the Arts_. Great. They just _had_ to send me to a drama school. Oh well. At least I'll get to do a lot of music classes. I have a lot of secret talents that no-one would even assume I had on first glance. 

I parked my bike in an empty space away from all the other vehicles in the lot. I took off my helmet and looked at my watch. 10:00am. I'm a bit late. But that doesn't matter. I shield my eyes from the glaring sun as I look up to the massive grey-bricked building in front of me. I made a quick run to the shade of the building so the sun didn't blind my sensitive eyes any longer. 

I eventually found my way through the empty and winding hallways to the administration office. The plump lady sitting behind the desk gave me and my eyebrow ring a wary look before handing me my combination lock and class schedual. I noticed she kept looking at me strangely. I told her that I don't bite, and niether does either ring. She asked where the other one was. This was the moment I was waiting for. I poked out my tounge at her and she was shocked I'd be so rude. I quickly walked out of there and to the principals office which was next door. He was the one who was supposed to show me where my first class was.

~*~*~*~

"Alright class! Settle down!" The teacher, Miss Savinien, yelled at all the teenagers in the classroom. Eventually they all settled down. "I suppose you all know we'll be having a new student with us, and you've all been speculating whether the student was male or female. And I am pleased to announce that he is a male." 

All the girls in the class started squealing about how cute they hoped he would be. Just then the principal walked in. "Class!" they all shut up and paid attention. "The new student's name is Vegeta Ouji, and I hope you'll all make him welcome." With that he scurried out of the room. Everyone watched intently as the boy walked in the door. They let out a gasp as they saw what he looked like. 

"Oh great! Just what we need! A goth!" a rude boy called out from the back of the classroom. This got the whole room laughing. 

__

'Great. This school is going to be no better than the rest of them.' Vegeta thought to himself. He shot an angry glare at the boy who had said it, and he and the people around him quieted down immediately. Everyone had come to the conclusion that this guy must be trouble, and they should stay away from him. 

"Ummm. Vegeta. Would you like to tell us about yourself?" the teacher nervously asked. Vegeta looked at her from under his eyebrows.

"No." Despite what they had all thought a second ago, they all burst out laughing. 

"Vegeta. The class needs to know about you, so we'll be able to pair you up with somebody who has the same, ummm, interests as you." She carefully picked out her words. Vegeta raised an eyebrow; the one without the ring.

"If you insist." He took off his guitar and laptop and sat them on the floor and leaned against the teacher's desk.

"Well. I like computers. I'm good at hacking. I've hacked into this schools database and learned all your names. And I'll tell you, Capsule Corp is the easiest thing ever to get into. Personally I would have thought it would be harder than that. I mean, I can even get into Bulma's personal computer." 

Up in the back row, a blue-haired girl raised her head up in astonishment, as the new boy grinned at her evily. '_Self reminder: Get dad to up the security.'_

"I like guitars. I'm good at playing them. I'm a 6th dan black belt in karate, and I do kendo, and other martial arts that involves using dangerous weapons." Vegeta slid his tounge ring across his top lip, and rolled it in his mouth. Some of the more, _flirty_ girls were starting to get ideas. 

Vegeta sniffed. "That's about all." He rubbed his hands together. "So. Who are you picking for me?" Miss Savinien shook her head. 

"Uh. Can you play something for us first?"

Vegeta picked up his guitar and slid it out of it's case. He put the strap over his shoulder and tested to see whether anything was out of tune. Everything seemed to be okay. He quickly played a song, and put it back. Only the teacher clapped; the rest of the class seemed to be jealous of his talent. 

"Ummm. Go sit up next to Christina up there." She pointed. "I'll find you a partner later."

~*~*~*~

About a week later, Vegeta had settled into the school system well, although no-one was game enough to be his friend, or even talk to him unless they had to. At lunchtimes he would pick a table in the far corner of the school cafeteria and set up his laptop, and do something on it while he ate lunch. It was the same routine everyday. No-one would sit near him, let alone at the same table.

One of the drama teacher came inside and started passing around flyers. One landed on his table. He picked it up and looked at it. It was for the school play. According to the flyer, it was a compulsory thing that all drama students had to do. _'Damn. Just my luck.'_ Vegeta studied the rest of it. The play was about an Egyptian Vizier who fell in love with the Pharaoh's daughter. It was called Forbidden Love. 

Vegeta folded up the piece of paper and put it in his pocket. He hoped he'd not get paired up with one of those girls in his class. _'Although that Bulma girl didn't look too bad.'_ He thought to himself. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. 

~*~*~*~

All the drama students were in the large auditorium. It's stage was massive, and the blood-red curtains with the golden rope trimmings looked amazing. Everyone was gathered at the bottom of the stage, and Vegeta stood near the back of them.

"Alright. Let's get started. We are doing the kiss scene first. Anyone who can't do that efficiently, and convincingly, will not be getting a main role. In this hat I have all the boys names. Girls will pick one out and that will be your partner."

They all went through, picking out the names. There was a lot of disappointed voices, and some happy ones too. Eventually it was Bulma's turn. She put her hand in and pulled out a name. She opened the folded piece of paper, and nearly fainted. How in the world could she have picked out that creep's name? She looked over to Vegeta and then back at the teacher. She stomped her foot and huffed. 

Bulma reluctantly went and stood next to "the goth" as everyone referred to him behind his back. But Vegeta wasn't stupid, he knew what they called him. When everyone was with their partners, and the amused whispers about Bulma and goth boy had died down, the first pair had a go. They recited their lines and then were going for the kiss when the girl pulled away. "Oh yuck! I can't do this!" With that, she ran away.

This type of routine went on until Bulma and Vegeta's turn. "Game enough to do it onna? Game enough to kiss the goth? Oh no! What will your friends think? There will be rumours all over the school!" Vegeta teased her while Bulma glared and flipped to the correct page of the script. 

"Get on with it." The teacher ordered. Vegeta sat his script down on the grand piano next to him. He smirked at Bulma and waited for her to say her line. She cleared her throat.

__

"Khmunhotep, this can not go on. We can't see each other anymore. If my father finds out-…"

"Stop worrying princess. He won't find out. I'll make sure of it."

"But what if he does?!"

"Then it is beyond my power to stop him. I am the Vizier. He trusts me more than anyone else in the kingdom besides you. If he did find out of our love, then I would be executed, buried alive, who knows……"

"But I don't want you to die Khmunhotep!" 

Bulma walked up to him and rested her head on his chest as it said to do in the script.

__

"There is nothing more I can do princess. We will just have to wait and see."

Bulma let go of him and stepped back.

__

"Waiting takes too long! You know I was never patient! They can't take you away from me! I won't let them!"

"It is not within your power. As long as your father lives you know he'll never allow it."

Bulma hit him on the chest.

__

"I must go now. Before anyone sees me."

"No! Don't go! What if I never see you again?!"

"Then this may be our last kiss……" 

Vegeta leaned down and cupped her chin, and lightly brushed her lips with his own, making the whole drama class stand there gaping at the way they were able to bring those words to life so easily.

__

"Farewell princess, may Hathor be with us."

They both took a few steps away from each other, signaling the end of their little performance. Everyone was stunned to say the least. It took a while for them to react, but they burst out in applause. "I think we just found our stars of the show!" The teacher squealed.

~*~*~*~

Because Bulma and Vegeta were the stars, they had to work twice as hard as the rest of the cast. But due to the fact that Vegeta was probably the least liked guy in the school, Bulma didn't tell her friends who was playing what part until the list would come out. 

Her and her friends were sitting on the opposite side of the cafeteria that Vegeta, because it was the "cool people" side. 

"Come on B! Tell us who you are playing! We wanna know!" Chi Chi begged. 

"No! I'm not going to tell you!" 

"Well will you at least tell us who you got paired up with?" Juuachigou took her turn. 

"I……No……Oh……Fine. I got paired up with Vegeta okay?" Bulma mumbled, hoping no-one at the other tables heard.

"OH MY GOD!! YUCK!! YOU KISSED VEGETA?!?!" They two girls both screamed, and the whole lunch room turned and stared at them with wide eyes and mouths. Bulma sunk low in her seat and covered her head. 

"Why me?" She mumbled to herself, trying to hide the bright red blush on her face. In the meantime, some of the boys from the football team, with their letterman jackets that made them think they looked cool, strode up to Vegeta. 

"Dude. Did you seriously kiss Bulma Briefs? I mean no guy has ever done that before." They grinned stupidly. 

"It was for the play. Nothing more. She hates me." Vegeta closed the lid of his laptop and put it back in its case, carrying it out of the room with him. 

Bulma looked up in time to see Vegeta walking out of the room. She got up to go follow him, but her friends stopped her. "Tell us……Is he a good kisser?" All the girls seemed to tune into this one.

"……Yes……" Bulma shook off her friend's hand and rushed out of the room, determined to find goth boy, leaving them with their own imaginations.

~*~*~*~

Bulma roamed the hallways trying to find him, when she came across the sound of a piano being played and a male voice singing. She snuck up to the door and peeked inside. Vegeta was sitting at the grand piano and singing a song that Bulma had never heard of before. She stood there watching in awe as his hands gently skimmed over the keys creating a light, melodic sound. His voice was smooth and it rang throughout the room. 

Bulma stood there listening to him play the song until he finished. He sat still for a while, and she wondere what he as doing. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to come in?" He laughed, his back still turned. She wondered how he knew she was there.

"Fine. I'm coming." Bulma stepped out from behind the doorframe and walked casually into the room, climbing up the stairs to the stage and stood near him. Vegeta took a brief glance at her before starting to play another song softly. 

"Look. I'm sorry for what my friends did. I didn't think they'd just yell it out like that." She nervously told him.

"I know. I'm used to people not liking me. I've learned to just block the teasing and rumours out." He shrugged nonchalantly.

Bulma shuffled her feet. "But it was mean though. I know people think your are ummm……"

"Just say it. I'm a freak. I'm weird. So what?" Vegeta stopped playing and watched her intently.

Bulma sighed in frustration. "You can't seriously say that about yourself. We all know you're different. Everyone is different, but you're just……"

"Yeah yeah I know all that. Everyone is different in their own special way, blah blah blah." Vegeta got off the seat and stood near the edge of the stage. "I just don't care anymore. Everyone used to tell me I was special, but I just stopped believeing them. I was constantly mocked, poked fun at, beat up. So what? Who cares about the goth? Goths obviously don't have feelings, we don't care about anyone, so let's just pick them out! Make them suffer! They won't mind! Well let me tell you something! We do have feelings. I never had one single friend my entire life. I was teased for being different. Nobody liked me because I was different. But I like who I am, and I'm not changing it for anyone……" Vegeta growled.

"Nobody asked you to change Vegeta. They are probably intimidated by you, that's all. They just don't know how to handle the situation. You look the total opposite to what they are used to, and they are……I don't know, just immature?" Bulma tried.

"Intimidated? Pft. Tell that to the football teams, in the 14 other schools I've been to, who beat me up. Yeah. They were really intimidated." He sarcastically replied.

Bulma started to get angry at his ignorance. "Just stop it!" She screeched. "You are just a self-centered idiot! It's a wonder how your parents put up with you! I don't know why they didn't put you up for adoption!" 

Vegeta turned around. His eyes were burning with unshed tears. "I didn't have that luxury! My parents died in a car crash! I didn't even have time to adjust to the fact they were gone before they threw me in a foster home! Nobody knows how I feel! They all just assume things………I'm not who you think I am……" His voice had started to waver so he turned back around and stared at the empty seats in the auditorium.

Bulma raised her hand to her mouth. He was right. Everyone just assumed things. It was now she realized just how mean she had been to him, and how powerful a few words could be. Apparently, these kind of things, over a long period of time, could seriously damage a person's mental stability, or that's what the book said anyway. 

Bulma walked up to him and put a hand on his shoulder, but he shrugged it off. "Leave me alone. I don't need your sympathy." He growled.

"I know you don't think you need these things, but I want to make up for what I said. It was really cruel of me to say that when I had no idea about any of it. I swear I would have never even thought those things if I knew." She tried again. 

"Just leave me alone! I don't need your friendship! I never had a friend before, and I don't need one now!" He yelled at her and grabbed his things, and storming out of the room. 

Bulma flopped down on the seat. "What have I done this time?" 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

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Several weeks had passed, and rehersals for the play were going well, apart from Bulma and Vegeta's arguing. It was up to the students to design the costumes for themselves. Bulma had been doing a lot of research on what an Egyptian woman of a high class would wear, and had used some white linen as a dress, which had one part draping over her shoulder. The school supplied the make-up, and she was wearing khol around her eyes. Khol was made from the silt in the riverbanks of the Nile, and the Egyptians used it to protect their eyes from the harsh desert sun.

Vegeta's costume was a white linen kilt, with a decorative woven flap at the front. He had modeled it off one he saw in a book. He had a plain white head-dress, that was like the one a Pharaoh would wear, but it was not golden. He even had a fake beard like they used to use. His eyes were shaded with the khol, on his eyelashes and eyelids, making them seem sunken in; exaggerating the deep obsidian colour his eyes already were. In fact, it made him look even more evil, especially when he smirked, because his eyeteeth were sharp and pointed, making him look like a demon. His shoes were simple woven sandles, made from reeds, as was everyone's. Straps wound up around his muscled leg up until a bit below his knee, making sure the sandle was firmly in place. He also had golden armbands and bracelets. 

Everyone was quite surprised when he came out of the change room in his costume; they thought he was this weedy little guy with no muscles what-so-ever, but when he took off his shirt, they could plainly see that this wasn't the case. There was probably not a spot on this guy's body that wasn't tanned and toned perfectly. 

High-set cheek bones, regal features, thick muscular neck, broard shoulders, olive-tanned body and rippling abs gave him the body of a god. 

This day was the first dress rehearsal they would have, and the play was in about 3 weeks. Vegeta had taken his script home each night and practiced, and he knew almost every line off by heart already. 

An hour later drama class was over, and they all went to get changed. Vegeta came out after furiously scrubbing at his eyes to get the khol off them, leaving them a bit red and hard to see out of. He nearly crashed into a couple of people as he went to collect his things from the theatre seats. He picked up the laptop's case, and put the strap over his shoulder, letting it hang behind him like a satchel. He pulled out his sunglasses from his jacket pocket, and held on them as he made his way out of the building. When he got to the thick wooden doors, he put on his silver reflective sunglasses and stepped out into the sunlight. 

He was about to put his helmet on when there was a hand placed on his shoulder. He turned around and saw it was Bulma. "What do you want?" He growled.

She looked at him and shuffled her feet. "My car is broken, and I've got a lot of books to carry, so I was wondering if I could get a lift please? We live near each other."

"Great. Just what I needed. Hang on." Vegeta pulled out a capsule, clicking the button, and out popped a spare helmet. He got on the bike and started it up. "Get on." Bulma did as she was told and got on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist, and they sped off.

When they arrived in their street, Bulma instructed him on where to go. He pulled up Capsule Corp's driveway and let Bulma off. She gave him back his helmet and he incapsulated it. 

"Thanks Vegeta. I really appreciate it." Vegeta took off his helmet. 

"Sure. Whatever. Just think yourself lucky, I don't usually let people ride my bike."

"So where do you live?"

Vegeta pointed down the road to a large mansion. It was the old Mooreman residence. No-one had lived in that place for years. Old Mr Mooreman had went crazy and murdered his wife and kids and then committed suicide; the typical horror story. 

"Which room is yours?" She asked curiously. 

"Ever been inside it before? Or were you too scared?" He teased.

"Uh……No, it's just that I don't go snooping in people's houses after they die."

"Come on then. You want to know which room is mine, so I'll have to show you." He motioned for her to get back on the bike. 

"Okay. I'll just put my stuff inside and tell mum first." Bulma quickly rushed into her house, and a few minutes later re-emerged with a new outfit. She was now wearing overalls, boots, and a tight white t-shirt underneath. She got on behind Vegeta and they rode the short distance down the private street to his house.

The old house looked a lot bigger than it did from a distance. The tall trees blocked most of the view from the street. The rusted gates loomed in front of them; stone walls covered in moss and ivy acted as perches for some grotesque gargoyle figures. Vegeta got off the bike, the small stones crunching under his heavy boots as he went to unlock the also rusted chain on the gate with the large key. It screeched horribly as he opened it. He got back on the bike and slowly moved through the gate, getting off again to shut the gates.

Bulma took in the view. It was actually quite beautiful in an past world, hidden garden type way. Huge weeping willow trees lined the cobblestone path that weaved right up to the doorway, and around a statue of a man with medieval clothing, and rejoined the original path, so the carriage, or in this case, motorbike could go right around without having to back up. The statue was overgrown with weeds and weathered with the rain. 

A thick forest of trees surrounded the back of the house, leaving a few hundred metres between it and the building. They reached high up into the sky blocking a lot of sunlight trying to get through. The grass was surprisingly clear of weeds and junk, and gave the place a serene look. 

Vegeta got back on the bike and drove them up to the door. Bulma got off and he told her to wait there while he put it away. Bulma kept enjoying the view until he came back. Vegeta smirked at her before pushing the heavy oak doors open and stepping inside, closing it behind Bulma. 

An old man in a tuxedo with tails stepped out from a room to the left. "Ahh. Master Vegeta. You are home. I see you have a friend. I will inform your parents. Would you like some refreshments?" He asked in a voice thick with an English accent. 

Vegeta looked to Bulma and she nodded. 

"Alright. That sound nice thanks."

"We'll have uhhh……milkshakes and chips?" He asked, seeing whether Bulma agreed and she did. 

"What flavour?" The butler asked politely.

Vegeta had seen Bulma drinking chocolate milk at school so he ordered that for her and a blue heaven for himself. For chips he just asked for some salt and vinegar ones. He showed her to the lounge room. 

The whole house was decorated in a 17th century look, but with modern features as well. Like the huge wide screen television built into the wall. And the huge sound system on the side wall. 

Bulma seated herself on the huge and soft blood-red couch that just seemed to suck you in. There was a huge open fireplace in front of them, with a polar bear skin rug in front of that, and an enormous painting of some relative in a suit of armour, holding the head piece under his arm above the mantlepiece. It was the same man as the statue.

They sat there with minimal conversation until the butler brang them their snacks. "Thanks Arden."

"My pleasure sir. That's what I'm here for." With that, he walked off to find something to do.

When they finished their food and drink, Vegeta led her upstairs to show her which room was his. She gasped as she came to the end of the dark hallway that Vegeta had all to himself. The door that was there was the one that all four bodies had been found in. It was the main bedroom for this floor. Apparently, old man Mooreman had slit his wife's throat as she slept, and then got the children to come in one at a time, and killed them also, then he supposedly got onto the four poster bed and hung himself using a thick rope and trying it to the ring that held up the canopy in a circus tent like fashion to the roof. He then dropped off the headboard, and not being able to quite touch the mattress, he slowly died of asphixiation. 

Vegeta smirked as he realized she recognised the room. He opened the door and walked in, holding it open for her. Bulma nearly had a heart attack this time. The only things unchanged in the room were the curtain and wall paper, and of course the added features of Vegeta's things. The walls were completely covered in black paint, and the curtains were blood-red like the couch downstairs. 

"I had to change both the wall paper and the curtains because the curtains were mouldy and the walls were peeling, as well as bloodstained. Not that I minded about that part; it added to the atmosphere, but I couldn't stand the cream colour." He explained nonchalantly.

Bulma looked around the vast room, noticing that he had a large television and hi-tech sound system like the other ones, except these looked a bit different and more fancy. He had a computer hooked up in a corner on a desk that was there when they bought the house. Actually, most of the furniture came with the house anyway, they just added things and replaced others that couldn't be fixed up. 

Bulma turned towards the bed, raising a hand to her mouth. This was the same bed that the wife was murdered in and the man hung himself from. "My god! How can you stand sleeping in it!" She squealed, stepping backwards and running into him. 

"Simple. Like this." Vegeta quickly picked her up while she complained loudly and squirmed, and walking over towards the bed, dumped her on it. Bulma bounced a few times before sitting still quietly. 

"Hey. This is pretty comfortable." She told him.

"That is the same quilt as in the murder." He coughed with an evil grin on his face. Bulma screamed and jumped off, somehow leaping high enough to land in his arms. She clung to him breathing heavily.

"Don't worry. I washed them. There's only a little bloodstain. Look it's just here……" Vegeta began to walk closer to the bed and Bulma squealed again, burying her face in his chest. Vegeta laughed. It was the first happy laugh he had ever voiced since before his biological parents died. All the others after that had either been scornful, evil, sarcastic or otherwise.

He set her down on her feet, allowing her to catch her breath. Bulma gave him a punch in the chest. "Idiot. That was mean."

"I know! Wasn't it!" He squealed back, doing a bad impression of her voice. Bulma grinned. This was the first time she had seen him when he wasn't acting all creepy and stuff. And to tell the truth, he didn't seem that bad. 

Vegeta thought for a second. "Do you like animals?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"What kind do you like?"

"Uhhh. I like all those exotic ones, and horses are pretty cool. I really like those little monkey things that can sit on your shoulder, they are so cool and cute."

"Good. Come with me then." 

Vegeta opened the door to his balcony, which Bulma hadn't noticed before, and stepped out onto it, Bulma following behind him. He went over to the wall and climbed over the wrought-iron railing and slid down the piping to the ground. He held his arms out and motioned for Bulma to do the same. She yelled down to him.

"You actually expect me to do that?!" 

"Yes! I'll catch you!"

Bulma nervously got over the railing and grabbed the pipe, held her beath and jumped, climging to it, slid down into Vegeta's waiting arms, he let her slip down onto the ground. "Woo! That was more fun than I thought it would be!" 

"Let's go."

Vegeta led her into the forest, and she had to keep close to him by holding his hand, because she could barely see her own feet in the darkness, let alone him with all his black clothes on. He suddenly stopped and looked back at her, and then at their hands, wondering why she was touching him when it wasn't neccesary.

"I can't see." She explained, and then they continued to walk, jumping over fallen logs, and weaving through the trees. Finally, they came to a clearing, and Bulma had to sheild her eyes from the sudden bright light. She let go of Vegeta's hand and waited until her eyes adjusted. When they did, she looked around in awe. It was amazing.

There was a huge brightly lit clearing with some large stables in the far back of it, and there were horse jumps, pens and everything. People in fancy clothing were grooming some elegant horses, while others jumped them, some did stunt riding, and others did dressage. It was amazing. It was like a horse show, yet all these people were employed to take care and train them.

"What do you think?"

"It's……wow……" She breathed. 

"So. You want to go riding?" Vegeta asked as he showed her around the place, stopping to look at some of the horses being put through their paces. 

"Sure!" She exclaimed and they started off towards the large wooden building that housed all the horses. Vegeta stopped in front of one of the stalls.

"How much experience do you have?" 

"I'm intermediate. I go to my cousin's place every month and she teaches me to ride."

"Okay. I'm going to put you on Platinum Scissors, because she is the easy-going one of the lot. The rest can get a bit feisty and aren't really used for the type of riding we are going to be doing." Vegeta vaugely told her.

He pointed to a 15hh beautiful bay horse in the stall who seemed to be watching them. Her big brown eyes seemed to shine at the fact she was finally getting a female rider. Most of the men, except for Vegeta when he was first starting, tended to be a bit rough in the way they treated her.

Bulma "awwwwed." 

"She's so beautiful." She cooed, and gave her a scratch behind the ears while the horse sniffed at her.

"Do you know how to saddle her up?"

"Yes." 

"Her stuff is over there. I'm going to get my horse."

While Bulma was saddling her horse, Vegeta walked down the stalls, thinking of which horse to choose. He knew he would not pick his favourite: Sabre Knight, the big black stallion who was as wild as the day he was brought into the world and who would only let Vegeta ride him, because he was used for a special purpose, and Vegeta didn't want to damage him. 

"Who to pick, who to pick……Medieval Legend? No. Criminal Intent? No…….I know! Spirit Hunter! He'd be perfect!" Vegeta spoke to himelf and gave each of the respective horses a pat as he walked past their stalls. 

Vegeta used the colt "Spirit Hunter" for riding in the woods, because he was a great jumper, and had very sure footing. Not to mention that he had alerted Vegeta to a seemingly unknown danger before it happened. It was like spirits were guiding him, through the endless woods, and sometimes he even knew where he was going before Vegeta did. Healso used him for hunting foxes, so that's where the "Hunter" part came from.

He grabbed the saddle and bridle from the rack on the wall, and went into the stall to put them on his horse. Vegeta pushed the gate open and led Spirit Hunter out to where Bulma was waiting with Platinum Scissors. 

The two horses started to get a bit excited when they saw each other, because they barely got tha chance to go out and ride with each other anymore. Spirit Hunter nearly ran Vegeta over, but calmed down when he heard Vegeta's angry voice.

Vegeta threw the reins over his horse's head and grabbed the end closest to his mouth to lead him out of the stable, while Bulma did the same. When they got out of there, Vegeta put his left foot in the stirrup and grabbed onto the saddle, swinging himself up onto the big Quarter Horse. He put his right foot in the other stirrup and held onto the reins while he waited for Bulma to get on hers. 

When she was ready, Vegeta started walking them over to one of the pens. 

"We'll need to exercise them a bit because they haven't been used in a while, and I don't want to push them to far so they'll get hurt." Vegeta told her as an assistant opened the gate for them and shut it behind them. They started off at a brisk walk around the edge of the ring, and this got into a trot, then a canter. They went round the ring several times before Vegeta decided it was enough. The assistant handed them black felt helmets and they strapped them on. Vegeta thought for a second.

"We'll need some proper riding gear I think for where we are going." He dismounted and gave the reins of both horses to the man on the other side of the fence. Bulma followed him back to the stable and into a store room, where they kept the riding clothes. 

He turned around and took his helmet off, and grabbed the gear in front of him. He took off his shirt and proceeded to talk off the rest of his things so he could wear the tight-fitting jodhpurs, the formal white shirt, a blue jacket with the famly insignia on the right breast pocket, and the knee-high black shiny leather riding boots. He grabbed a crop and waited for Bulma to say he could turn around. When she did, he could see that she was wearing the female version of the clothes, which wasn't that much different. 

They went back out to where their horses were being given a special treat: a sugar cube. Vegeta pt on his helmet, and put the crop between his teeth, as he climbed over the fence and jumped onto his horses back. Bulma decided to play it safe and got completely over the fence and then mounting the sensible way. The assistant opened the gate and let them out.

Vegeta led Bulma around the whole clearing at a canter, dodging all the people, and sometimes spooking the other horses. He then suddenly veered off into the forest, further away from the house. They raced through the trees, and they had to slow down because they were getting tighter together. But when they opened a bit more, Vegeta shot off and lept over a huge log. Bulma loved the sound of the horses hooves beating against the ground before and after it jumped, so she was going to jump too. She urged her horse on and she seemingly flew over the log.

Vegeta was waiting for her a bit further up ahead. "Pretty damn good if I do say so myself. Especially since Platinum hasn't jumped for years!" He laughed and raced off again before Bulma could have the chance to hit him. 

"Where are we going Vegeta?" She called out to him after some while.

"Just to a special place. I was the only one who knew about it." They came to another clearing, and Vegeta got off Spirit Hunter opened a gate that was in front of him. He let his horse go in and he gave him a slap on the rump to get him moving a bit faster. He waited until Bulma came in before shutting it. He took off his horses saddle and bridle and let him walk around eating the grass.

Bulma dismounted and Vegeta gave her a hand with taking off the saddle from the horse. They took off their helmets and wiped the sweat from their brows. They noticed their hands were really dirty from the reins, so Vegeta showed her to a crystal clear creek where they could wash their hands and faces. They went over to the shade of a large tree and Vegeta told her to wait there while he went to get something. 

Bulma lay back and closed her eyes, waiting for him to return. When he did, he saw Bulma giggling because Platinum Scissors was standing next to her and sniffing around her neck. 

"I've never seen her take a liking to anyone as quick as you he commented, as he sat down. Bulma still had her eyes closed, but she did hear a thumping sound that repeated itsself, and some were heavier than others. She turned her head and opened her eyes. Vegeta had collected a heap of fruits. Apples, oranges, and some melons even. 

"Where did you get all them?" She asked curiously as he handed her an apple.

"Oh. Well when I first found this place, I found the apple tree growing here. The apples on it tasted really nice, better than I have ever had before, so it gave me some idea that the soil must be good for growing things, so I asked my foster mum to get me some seeds and things, and now I've grown a heap of fruits and vegetables. It's handy too, cos mum doesn't have to go into town to get all that junk, she can just have fresh stuff, but even o, I won't tell her where I'm growing it. Besides, I don't think anyone would want to eat it after they've found out where it's been growing……"

Bulma refrained from taking another bite of the juicy apple. Vegeta just chomped into his in hopes it would stop him from telling her where he grew it. 

"Vegeta? Where did you grow these?"

Vegeta nearly choked on his food. "Mmmmemmmnatary." He replied with his mouth full of apple and while mumbling.

"Where?" Bulma started glaring, and Vegeta swallowed his food.

"In a cemetary?" He meekly squeaked.

"WHAT? YOU CAN'T DO THAT! IT'S SACRED GROUND! NOT A FRUIT GROWING REGION!" She screamed.

"But it's not on any graves……It's next to them……Like I found the apple tree. Besides, this Native American dude came and did this funny dance and it was supposed to keep the spirits away and the dead from rising." He laughed in a spooky way. 

Bulma hit him on the arm. "Not funny." She took a glance at the apple before reluctantly taking another bite.

Vegeta picked up the remaining apples and gave two to Platinum Scissors, and threw two over to Spirit Hunter. 

When everyone had finished eating everything that Vegeta had got them, the horses went over to drink some water and Bulma and Vegeta went to wash their hands and faces again from all the juice. He looked up at the sky. 

"Come on. We'd better go. It's getting dark. It's a lot darker in the forest when it's night time. And a hell of a lot harder to see in it. I lost a horse that way. I fell off because of a thunder clap when the horse spooked, and he just went off in another direction. I found my way back, and the next day we found him at the bottom of this waterfall. He had drowned, and then was swept downstream and over the falls, and broke his neck, legs, and many other bones. I never went near where we found him again. It's kind of ironic, because I named him Riva Storm. Anyway, we buried him in that same cemetary, and he always liked watermelons, so I planted them near him. The rest of the graves are people from medieval times. I think it's quite interesting to look at them and find out who they really were. There is just one that puzzles me though. It doesn't have a date, or a last name……Just……Draco. I've been thinking of doing a search on past occupants of this house, but I haven't had the time lately." Vegeta told her somewhat sadly as they saddled their horses again. 

When they were done, they made their way back to the stables to let the people tak care of the two horses while they went to change again.

"You can't tell anyone of what I told you or what I showed you." He ordered.

"You have my word." Bulma replied sincerely. 

They raced back to the house and went to get some hot cups of tea from the downstairs kitchen. Bulma looked around as she sipped on the hot drink. "What are all those things for?" She asked as she pointed to the hooks and rings on the wall.

"Well, when they first built this house, it was actually more like a castle. This place was used as the torture chamber, as you can see from the walls, because it's the typical grey-brick dungeon wall. As times went on, they changed it into a meat locker, that's why there is hooks there, and now it's a kitchen. The rings were from the dungeon era, they uses to tie the prisoners up on them." He explained.

"You seem to have a morbid fastination with all this gross dead people stuff." Bulma pointed out.

"Yes. It's interesting. When I find a little clue of something, like maybe a note in a book, I have to find out who wrote it, why they wrote it, and if they followed up with it, if it was a following up kind of thing." 

"I suppose you are right. It's just like a murder mystery. You need to find out what happened or you'll never get to sleep at night."

"Yeah." Vegeta agreed. He looked at his watch. "You should probably be getting home soon. He mumbled rather half-heartedly.

Bulma nodded and they sat their empty cups in a sink, and went to the front door. 

"Will you be able to teach me how to ride better?" She asked just before she was about to leave.

"Sure. You can get a lift from me after school and I'll bring you here." 

"Thanks. Bye" 

"Bye. Oh, wait, here. Can you make sure to lock the gates on your way out? Just leave the key behind the wall next to them."

"Okay." Bulma took the key from him and held it in her hand. She waved at him and then strolled down the cobblestone path to go home. 

__

'Maybe having a friend isn't such a bad idea after all. Now, I must go finish what I started……To the Playstation!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

A few weeks later and it was time for the play. Everyone was backstage getting ready, and the people in the audience would arrive soon. Everyone had butterflies in their stomachs, even the people who had been performing for ages. Bulma and Vegeta were already in their costumes and were reciting the most important lines. Every cast member did another quick check of their make-up and scripts, before the teacher told them to take their places.

She went out and announced to the audience who had arrived, and announced the start of the play, and what it was about. Then she went backstage and the curtain opened up to reveal a scene in the Pharaoh's palace.

The play was going smoothly, no-one had forgotten their lines, and Vegeta was doing a good job as the Vizier, despite having almost no acting experience at all. They went through song after song, and soon it was time for Vegeta to sneak into Bulma's "room". 

They went through their lines, and did the kiss scene, which everyone "awwwwwed" at. Then he left the set. 

They play went on for quite a while, and it was time for the last scene. Khmunhotep was supposed to fight the man that the Pharaoh had chosen for his daugther to marry. 

__

"You will marry Kharga. There is no questions about it!"

"But father, I don't love him! I love another man!"

"Who is this infidel?! He will pay!"

Khmunhotep and Nefernetka took a quick glance at each other, but because Khmunhotep was standing near the Pharaoh he saw the look.

"Khmunhotep! I thought I could trust you! Yet you defy me, what has been going on behind my back?!"

He stepped away from the Pharaoh. 

"We love each other my Pharaoh. I appologise for me breaking your trust, but we could not help it. It just happened that way."

"Guards! Seize him!" 

Two guards came up behind him and grabbed his arms. 

__

"Father, no!" Bulma cried.

"Quiet daughter! It is not your place! He will pay for his treachery!"

Nefernetka ran up to Khmunhotep and wrapped her arms around his neck, and pretended to sob into his shoulder.

"Don't touch that ratbag!"

Kharga ran up to them and pulled the princess from him, and hit Khmunhotep in the face, of course it was just stage fighting.

He started to sink to his knees, and Kharga grabbed his sword, and went to execute the vizier. But at the last minute the princess stepped between them and the sword was stabbed into her. The blood-pack under her clothes burst on the heavy foam sword's impact, and the fake blood seeped out of her clothes. She pretended she was dying.

"Khmunhotep……"

"Princess……no!"

The guards let him go and he fell to his knees, catching Nefernetka as she fell. Kharga stepped back in horror, he had just slain the woman he was supposed to marry, now he would never become Pharaoh. As Nefernetka slowly died, Khmunhotep looked up in anger. He took the sword from the guard, and stabbed it into Kharga, making his blood-pack burst too. 

He took one last look at his fallen princess before shoving the sword through his own stomach, and dropping onto his knees, and then onto his side next to Nefernetka.

"What have I done?!" The Pharaoh moaned. "Kharga was a no-good womanizer. I should have chosen Khmunhotep in the first place. Now I have lost them both. Their love would have been forbidden by any normal circumstances, but it was love none-the-less."

The Pharaoh held his head in his hands, and the curtains closed over the scene as the lights faded out. 

When they were completely closed, the audience gave them a standing ovation. The heavy curtains opened again and all the actors came out and took a bow. 

~*~*~*~

Vegeta sat at the bottom of the stone steps of the main school doors as he waited for Bulma to get out. When he heard the doors open, he turned around and it was her, so he stood up and they went to Bulma's car. This time she would be driving, and they were going to her house instead. 

At first there were whispers going around the school about Bulma suddenly abandoning her friends and going to sit with Vegeta, but she just brushed them off and told them that he "wasn't that bad." They got in her car and drove out of the schoolgrounds. 

When Bulma and Vegeta arrived at her house they jumped out of the car and took their things inside. They said hi to Mrs. Briefs, and then went up to Bulma's room. They both sat on her bed as Vegeta tried to show her how to play the guitar; it wasn't working very well. She may have been a genius, but playing a guitar was just over her head. Vegeta motioned for her to come and sit in front of him. So she did, and he wraped his arms around her so he could show her from that point of view. It seemed to be working a lot better now.

After about 20 minutes of listening to her horrible playing, they decided to do some of their homework. Bulma had physics and Vegeta had some written work from P.E. It didn't take long for him to finish it. He just watched Bulma do hers. He got bored with this quickly.

"Have you got like a gym or something?" He asked her. 

"Yeah sure. We can go there now if you want. I'll just bring my stuff." Bulma collected her books and pens and showed him to the gym.

Vegeta looked around at all the equipment and decided to do some stretches to warm up. He stretched his legs, arms, neck, back, shoulders, and any other muscles. Bulma sat in a chair at a table and continued doing her work.

Vegeta took off his shoes and shirt, rolled his shoulders a couple of times, and then reached up to the bar to do some chin-ups. He was up to about 100 when he stopped and went over to the treadmill. He ran for a few kilometres, and then went over to Bulma and stood in front of her until she looked up.

"What? Finished already?"

"No. But you are."

"What? But I haven't even finished the last question!"

"Not my problem." Vegeta flexed his arm muscles and then picked her up. "You're training with me now." 

Bulma struggled to get free of his iron-like grip to no avail. He grabbed some boxing gloves and some bandages and went over to the boxing bags. He dropped Bulma on the mat and gave her the gloves, and wrapped the stretchy blue bandages around his hands and secured them with the velcro. 

"Well then. Let's see what you got." He laughed. Bulma growled at him and put the gloves on. They hit the bags for a while, and Vegeta was surprised how much she knew about martial arts. He put on some gloves too, and suggested they have a sparring session. The rules: No hitting in the head and light contact to the body and legs, although Bulma was allowed to hit him as hard as she could, providing it wasn't in the groin.

They squared off and began to fight. Vegeta was grinning like a maniac – he finally had somone to fight. They exchanged a few blows, and Bulma managed to trip him over with a lucky leg sweep. But Vegeta caught onto her shirt at the last minute, and brought her down with him. Hence a "double-the-force" takedown. None-the-less, Bulma still landed on top of him.

"You little bugger! I was supposed to take you down!" She whined at hit him on the chest.

Vegeta just chuckled and removed his gloves. "I think that round should go to you. You ended up on top." 

Bulma quickly agreed. She removed her gloves too and wiped the sweat from her hands on her jeans, while Vegeta unwrapped the bandages.

"So. You planning on getting off me anytime soon?" He asked without looking up from what he was doing.

"Nope! I plan to savour this victory as long as I can!" She slapped him on the chest again with both hands, making him cough. Vegeta arched his back and rolled his hips, making her fall off the side, and he threw the now rolled up bandages over into the box. 

He got up and dusted his pants off, holding out his hand for Bulma to grab so he could pull her up. Bulma got up, but she didn't let go of his hand. She stared at him for a few seconds before asking him something nervously, with a blush on her face.

"W-was it me, or did that kiss in the play seem a little too……real?"

Now a blush spread across Vegeta's face. "Ummmmm……You?" He squeaked.

She reluctantly let go of his hand and turned away, trying to busy herself with collecting her books. But Vegeta spun her back. 

"Oh who am I kidding?! I enjoyed it." He blurted out.

Bulma smiled and gave him a hug.

"You know, at first I thought you were this total loser and weirdo, not to mention scary because you said you got into my PC, but now I see that you aren't so bad after all. I'm glad I got to know you. And I really don't care what my friends say, you're a good guy at heart." She told him.

Vegeta just smiled and returned the hug. "You're not so bad yourself." 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

THE END!!!

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